1. Field of the Present Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to energetic medical stimulation for therapeutic healing and especially bone growth stimulation, and more particularly to devices for producing and directing such stimulation to targeted therapy sites.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
The following patents have been found to particularly relate to aspects of the presently described and illustrated invention for which patent protection is sought.
Pescatore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,001, discloses a boot removably adapted for attachment to an equine hoof and carrying at least one multi-turn electrical coil which effectively surrounds at least the bottom of the hoof. A pulse generator and power source are self-contained in a housing carried at the back side of the boot, with provision for electrically exciting the coil with a succession of therapeutically beneficial low-voltage unidirectional asymmetrical pulses.
Niemi, U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,208, discloses an apparatus for treating a patient which induces an electric current in the body through external application of an electromagnetic field. The apparatus includes means for controlling the magnitude of the induced electric current by sensing the electromagnetic field and automatically controlling its strength. The sensing may be accomplished through time multiplexed use of the field inducing coil or through the use of a separated, dedicated coil.
Moore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,629, discloses an invention that contemplates a single-coil configuration adapted for embedment in an orthopedic cast, for use in applying electromagnetic signals for osteogenic therapy. An otherwise flat circular multiple-turn coil is so permanently deformed as to establish a first generally U-shaped projection of the coil in a first viewing aspect which is normal to the coil axis, the deformation being further such as to establish a second generally U-shaped projection of the coil in a second viewing aspect which is normal to the coil axis, said viewing aspects being orthogonally related. The depth of the deformation is common to each of the U-shapes and is approximately one fourth of the combined span of the two U-shapes.
Liboff et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,951, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,976, disclose apparatus and methods for regulating tissue growth in vivo. The apparatus includes a magnetic field generator and a magnetic field detector for producing a controlled, fluctuating, directionally oriented magnetic field parallel to a predetermined axis projecting through the target tissue. The field detector samples the magnetic flux density along the predetermined access and provides a signal to a microprocessor which determines the average value of the flux density. The applied magnetic field is oscillated at predetermined frequencies to maintain a pre-selected ratio of frequency to average flux density. This ratio is maintained by adjusting the frequency of the fluctuating magnetic field and/or by adjusting the intensity of the applied magnetic field as the composite magnetic flux density changes in response to changes in the local magnetic field to which the target tissue is subjected. By maintaining these precise predetermined ratios of frequency to average magnetic flux density, growth characteristics of the target tissue are controlled.
Kammerer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,114, discloses an energy recovery system for an electrotherapy device, particularly for bone healing, which permits the device to be small, light and portable, and to have extended battery life. Included are a drive voltage source and a ground reference potential. Driving transistors are between an inductive load and, relatively, the voltage source and ground potential, with a storage capacitor connected between the latter two. The voltage source is commonly a battery, preferably a zinc-air battery. Induction load power is applied when both transistors turn on simultaneously. For energy recovery, diodes are connected between the first terminal of the inductive load and the ground potential and between the second terminal of the inductive load and the high voltage source, such that they are reversed biased when the drive transistors are conducting. When drive power is removed from the inductive load by switching off the drive transistors, a reverse EMF is established in the inductive load. As the inductive load magnetic field collapses, a reverse voltage is developed across the inductor higher than the applied voltage by an amount sufficient to forward bias the diodes. Thus, current flows from the inductive load through the diodes to the storage capacitor. Recovery of the energy stored in the inductor continues until the energy remaining is insufficient to maintain current flow to the storage capacitor.
Foley-Nolan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,303, discloses a device for the controlled emission of electromagnetic radiation for use in medical and surgical conditions in humans and animals that comprises a substrate which can be contoured to and placed in intimate contact with an area of the body of the human or animal to be treated, an electrical circuit integral with the substrate, including at least one inductance coil, and flexible with the substrate, and a power supply connected to the circuit. The electromagnetic radiation emitted by the device may be pulsed or continuous. The device has application in the alleviation of acute and chronic pain and in modulating cellular replication.
Ryaby et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,532, discloses a surgically non-invasive method of and apparatus for altering the growth, repair and maintenance behavior of living tissues and, or cells by inducing voltage and concomitant current pulses of specific time-frequency-amplitude relations therewithin.
Further prior art related to the present invention includes: McLeod et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,496, Erickson et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,195,941 and 5,401,233, Russell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,743, Engel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,375 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,324, Blackwell, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,997,464 and 6,174,276, Matuszewski et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,486, Burnett et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,185, Holcomb, U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,753 and 2005/0080315, Gordon et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,175,587, Burnett et al., US 2004/0210254, and Butler et al., US 2005/0101828.
The related art described above discloses a wide range of devices and electrical circuits useful for medical treatment of human ailments using electromagnetic radiation and especially magnetic flux. These devices also teach means for mounting the devices in proximity to a target therapy site. However, the prior art fails to disclose such a device that is able to target magnetic flux to the cervical skeleton in humans and particularly to medical sites of choice wherein the sites may be easily selected and changed as desired. The present disclosure distinguishes over the prior art providing heretofore unknown advantages as described in the following summary.